The Antarctic season runs from late October to late March/early April and there is no best time to visit - it just depends what you're hoping to see. The early season is often referred to as 'pristine Antarctica' or 'untouched Antarctica' due to the fresh snow and sea ice. Mid-season is great for penguin chicks and late season is usually best for whale sightings. Whenever you go, penguins are guaranteed! Price varies depending on when you're looking to travel, which cabin category you'd be looking to book and which itinerary excites you most.
The restrictions are more based on height than age - minimum 1.2m. Typically best for 8/9-year-olds upwards, but we can be flexible so always send your enquiries! Do keep in mind, there are no specific child-focused activities on board.
The trip duration varies depending on what trip you select. Our Antarctica itineraries start as 11-day trips (we do have one 9 day itinerary) but generally this is the minimum duration and for the South Georgia, Falklands and Antarctica itineraries, these are usually 20 days long. Our Arctic trips start at 8 days up to 2 weeks long.
Some voyages do include internal flights, while others don't - it's entirely down to the voyage you choose. We will always make it clear to you at time of booking, so if there's a particular trip you're interested in, let us know and we'll be more than happy to help.
There are 6 solo cabins on both the M/V Ocean Albatross and M/V Ocean Victory ships. These get booked up very quickly, so we recommend booking early to secure cabin availability and the price. Alternatively, we can match you with another solo traveller in a male or female shared cabin, and that option is available for the triple cabins upwards. Or you can pay a solo supplement on any cabin type (apart from triple cabins) to have sole use.
Our dates for Antarctica 2025/26 and 2026/27 are currently available to book, along with Arctic 2026. We also have some great Patagonia tours that often work well back-to-back with our Antarctic voyages.
Although the situation has improved, there are still restrictions in place to ensure that things are carefully managed and so that things continue to improve. This will continue to be monitored throughout the season.
It's not so much a matter of it being dangerous as the ships are designed to travel through these waters and the X-Bow ships cope really well with the crossing, even in choppy sea conditions. Our vessels, the M/V Ocean Albatros and M/V Ocean Victory, have an X-Bow design to slice through the waves and ensure maximum comfort and sustainability. The Drake is the place where the two oceans meet, so the crossing can be smooth, rough or somewhere in between, depending on the currents. The journey usually takes 1.5 - 2 days to travel across, depending on the sea conditions. On your outward journey, the crossing is normally during the evening and at night time so you are usually in bed anyway. The staff on board are very used to these conditions so will give you some pre-warning about the expected sea conditions, when to take your sea-sickness medication, and will give you some helpful tips if the crossing is a bit rough. Once you reach the Peninsula, the sea is much calmer and you will soon forget any discomfort experienced crossing the Drake.
We recommend a 600 mm lens for on the ship or on land. However, a 300mm lens is very useful for when the ship is moving or when you’re out on the zodiacs.
We always want to make sure our voyages are as inclusive as possible, so we will always offer walks/hikes of differing difficulty. If you'd like to stay close to the ship and have a relaxed wander - that's absolutely fine! Having the mobility to get in and out of the zodiacs is critical though. If you have any specific concerns, please do get in contact with us at polar@explore.co.uk and we'd love to chat through the options with you.
Yes, more so on the ice. Glaciers are getting smaller and gentoo penguins are slowly displacing other species as they're more adapted to warmer temperatures. Also, there are fewer Adelie penguins.
Scientists are indeed studying how climate change is affecting krill and other parts of the Antarctic ecosystem. The good news is that Antarctic travel is highly regulated – every vessel and landing must follow strict environmental guidelines under IAATO. Tourism represents only a small fraction of human activity in the region, but it plays a valuable role in raising awareness and supporting conservation research. Our expeditions are designed to minimise impact – we limit group sizes, avoid sensitive wildlife areas, and follow best practices for protecting the environment. We do also encourage our clients to get involved in the on-board Citizen Science programmes which contribute to vital research in these regions. Many guests return home inspired to advocate for Antarctica, which is one of the best ways to help protect it for the future. So, by visiting responsibly, you’re helping to support its protection.
It depends on the region. In Antarctica, you might hear stories of animals that have never encountered humans and appear completely unafraid - and there’s some truth to that. But it’s not that these animals are unaware or unintelligent. The key point is that they don’t see people as a threat.
When visiting Antarctica, there are strict rules and regulations about how close you can get to wildlife, and those are respected. Because humans have never posed a danger to them, the animals don’t associate us with harm. As long as you're not getting too close or disturbing them, they generally continue about their business undisturbed.
The Arctic is a little different. In some areas, wildlife is still hunted as part of traditional practices, so animals there tend to be more cautious and skittish around people — particularly in Greenland.
In contrast, in Svalbard the wildlife has not been hunted for a very long time, so they are less fearful of human presence.